Category: THE BROW OF JUSTICE

Hello there, Eve again. For my second podcast I decided to release a poem I wrote on the same theme, of caring for each other.

Resilience is now a buzzword in healthcare. It carries the idea of self-reliance on its shoulders, once again placing the full burden as a caregiver for others and a caregiver for self upon the person who is already carrying too much.

The song “Found / Tonight” with Ben Platt and Lin-Manuel Miranda: “Have you ever felt like you could disappear, like you could fall and no one would hear?” is playing as I write these words. “Even when the dark comes crashing through, and you’re broken on the ground, you will be found.” We carry each other. No one should walk this road alone.

Any “wellness package” for healthcare providers that doesn’t encourage and foster community is something either worthless or less than worthless. The idea that we can and should carry the weight alone is…it’s shameful.

Here is my story of how a small group of people cared for me when I was in crisis–how they insisted I needed help, and they provided it.

Welcome to my very first official podcast. It will take about seven minutes out of your day. I know, a lot of people expect the 30 minute to an hour range, but I have ADHD and I really can’t hang in there that long.

This podcast is based on the theme of caring for each other, which–if you follow me on twitter at all–you know is my passion. I firmly believe that the standard you walk past is the standard you accept, and if we want the next generation of medical professionals to thrive, we have to teach them how to care for each other.

Notice I didn’t say they needed to learn how to take care of themselves. That’s an important distinction. The push lately by the healthcare industry has been to encourage self-reliance and self-care and self-advocacy. All of those things matter. They are all important.

What’s more important to me is the community we create around us. The bonds of friendship. The social networks that nourish and feed us. That’s what this podcast is about.

In this, the first episode, I skip the warm fuzzies. Sorry if that’s not what you’re accustomed to. We’re all in this together. Let’s care for each other.